Reviewed by: Connor Salter, Professional Writing student at Taylor University

Introduction

Title: What We Believe: Understanding and Confessing the Apostles’ Creed

Author: R. C. Sproul

Publisher: Baker Publishing Group

Publication Date: 2015

Format: Paperback

Length: 224 pages

OVERVIEW

Many people know of the Apostles’ Creed (that famous church statement that begins “I believe in God the Father…) but may not realize what it truly means. In What We Believe, a revised version of his earlier book Renewing Your Mind (based on his first book, The Symbol), R. C. Sproul outlines the major beliefs that the Apostles’ Creed references. Each chapter focuses on one particular belief (such as what it means that Jesus was God’s only begotten Son), explaining the misconceptions and helping readers see the biblically founded truth about each one.

It takes a sharp mind to explain what the Apostles’ Creed says and how people have interpreted it without making the explanation sound too complicated for mainstream readers. Fortunately, Sproul proves to be up to the task. He makes each chapter accessible to laymen as well as academics, carefully describing concepts like the Holy Spirit or what it meant when Jesus called Himself “The Son of Man.” Sproul also excels at describing why alternate views about subjects the Creed explains (such as believing someone can have morals without believing in any god) don’t work and don’t give satisfactory answers. All these elements work together to make an intelligent book that shows Scripture’s teachings about living the Christian life.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5)

4 out of 5 stars

Suggested Audience

People interested in understanding what the Apostles’ Creed means, people interested in what sets Christianity apart from other religions or philosophies, people interested in Christian apologetics.

Christian Impact

This book will help people understand why nonbiblical views about Jesus, God, and reality as a whole don’t stand up to criticism.

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